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Hackers to face life if they sabotage UK security

Matthew Holehouse

London: Computer hackers who threaten British national security will be punished as harshly as murderers under new plans unveiled on Wednesday.

Stirring deadly civil unrest by cutting off food supplies or energy networks through sabotaging computer systems could bring life sentences.

The Computer Misuse Act will be amended to include an aggravated offence of unauthorised access to a computer. The existing offence of impairing a computer only carries a maximum sentence of 10 years' imprisonment.

UK ministers believe that punishment does not reflect the potential damage to the economy and risk to human life posed by an attack by internet terrorists, or a lone hacker working from a bedroom.

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The threat has grown as businesses and government become more reliant on interconnected computer networks. A major cyber attack on essential networks such as the National Grid, police computers or supermarkets' distribution systems could trigger "severe social disruption", the Home Office fears.

Under a Serious Crime Bill, cyber attacks that result in loss of life, serious illness or injury or serious damage to national security will carry a life sentence.

Britain has not seen such an attack yet. However, cyber attacks are rated as a "tier one" threat by the National Security Strategy, alongside international terrorism or major accidents.

They are ranked as less grave threats than a chemical or nuclear attack, or an invasion of a British overseas territory.

The Serious Crime Bill will also create an offence of possessing "paedophilic manuals". Sexual predators who download manuals on how to groom their victims will face the same sanctions as terrorists who download guides on bomb-making.